The world moves without me (Branch Angst)

Stronger than i look

Branch's pov:

Dante's eyes shifted behind me, looking at tycos unconscious body laying on the floor. He was starting to bruise on his cheek from my punch, i was impressed.

"I'm not going to be that easy branch." Dante smiled, referring to his friend.

"I'm hoping for a good fight" I shrugged

Dante stepped forward, kicking my brother to the side. Clay let out a loud grunt as his face hit the floor. The anger boiled inside of me, I put my hands up ready to punch the idiot. The shakey door handle at the front door started to rattle, it seemed that my brothers outside were trying to get in. John Dory probably got worried from the loud sounds we were making.

"You wouldn't want to fight me in-front of your family. That's pretty messed up." Dante chuckled.

"I'll make it quick then." I smirked

I lunged forward tackling Dante to the ground. I was throwing my hands everywhere as I punched, scratched and even bit the guy. The anger inside of me gave me a boost of strength, the adrenaline was amazing. Dante tried to fight back but I kept slapping his hands away. My vision slowly looked up to Clay, who was watching us fight. Clay clearly couldn't bare to watch us fight, his head buried into his shoulder to hide his eyes. I felt sorry for him, I completely dragged Clay into the Dante shenanigans. I was caught of guard as Dante threw me against the wall, my body bouncing off it and rolling onto the floor.

Dante laughed, thinking he actually did something but I quickly picked myself up and ran towards him. My heart was beating quickly, I ignored all my emotions and kept going. I placed one hand on Dante's back and the other on his shoulder as I flipped Dante and slammed him on the floor. Both my hands went to his neck as I climbed onto him and began to straggle, The air gasping out of his throat loudly.

Dante did the only thing he could, he picked up a sharp pointy rock and slammed it somewhere. Chills went down my spine as the rock went out of vision. My body felt cold but it didn't distract me from my mission.

The door behind me bursted open and John Dory, Floyd and Poppy flooded inside. Poppy gasped loudly, she thought I was killing the guy. Dante was quickly loosing consciousness but I had no intention to stop.

"Branch stop!" Floyd covered his eyes in fear.

I was ripped away from Dante's body and pulled into John dory's arms. My chest was rising quickly, I couldn't help but shake. I didn't realise how badly I messed up the guy, his blood spread all over my hands.

"That's enough branch I think he got the message!" John Dory called out to me.

My ears were filled with loud white noise, my mind spinning like a tornado.

"He will get the message when I say so." I tried to grab ahold of Dante again.

Poppy ran towards Clay and untied him from his ropes, we all looked down at Dante who was barely breathing. I wasn't about to murder someone in-front of my girlfriend, I'm glad John Dory stopped me. I slowly slid out of John dory's grasp as I ran into clays arms. My eyes started to get all watery, little droplets falling out. I buried my face into clays shoulder, I felt the comfort of my big brother once again.

"Thank you branch." Clay smiled

The room still had this uncomfortable Erie feeling to it. I held onto clays shoulder tightly, the area silent.

"Can we go..? This place is making me nervous." Poppy whined

"Yes please!" Floyd begged.

I followed my family out of the room and exited the alley way. Everyone was walking in-front of me except for Clay, who was beside me the whole time.

"I'm surprised you didn't kill the guy." Clay whispered

"If Poppy wasn't there I would have." I chuckled softly.

We continued to walk back but I noticed how badly Clay was in pain. Dante treated him like a complete rag doll, his body language showing defeat. My family got close to the bunker but I knew Clay wasn't doing well at all, he was letting out soft grunts of pain every now and then. I stopped dead in my tracks and stopped Clay as-well.

"You should sit." I ordered

Clay didn't really have a choice, his body basically forced him to the floor. I kneeled next to Clay, stroking his back for comfort. The more I touched clays back the more he grunted. I slowly lifted his sweater romper and it revealed a bloody mess. Clays back was destroyed, like someone had been using him as a punching bag.

"When did this happen?" I questioned

"I- ahh... I can't remember..." Clay struggled to think.

Poppy, John Dory and Floyd also turned around after noticing we stopped. Floyd crouched next to me and placed a hand on his thigh. His worried expression said it all.

"Clay breathe." Floyd begged.

Clays eyes spiralled, the dude was stressing. Floyd laid Clay on his side as he tended to his wound with the materials we had. John Dory stood back with my girlfriend, both of them watching in fear. I pushed myself back from the whole scene, I was wounded as-well but I didn't want to take any attention off Clay. I could deal with the pain.

I lifted myself off the ground and backed out of the circle, my eyes dropping to my hand. Dante wasn't dead, but he wasn't coming back for sure. I always thought Dante was the main culprit for my colour loss but that mystery was soon resolved. I wondered why my colour hadn't returned... I did everything I was supposed too... I couldn't help but think I'll be stuck unhappy forever.

"Branch..?" Poppy mumbled

I was snapped out of my thoughts as Poppy magically appeared in-front of me. She placed a hand on my shoulder and starred deeply into my eyes, My bones chilling at the touch.

"Hm? Yeah?" I questioned

"You're bleeding." Poppy gasped.

I looked down at my vest, the vest I had since I was a child. My eyes widen at the massive sharp rock in my waist. So that's where it went. God dammit Dante!